Welcome to the MiceChat Round-Up everyone, with links to tons of Disney and theme park news for you. To kick it off today we are introducing MiceTube, MiceChat's new video blog on what's happening in the parks. But there's more here in the Round-Up today, far more. We also get a retro construction report back from when Hong Kong Disneyland was first built, and there's even a trip to one of the largest indoor theme parks in the world. Enjoy!

This week we'd like to tell you about the newest way for you to get a head's up on our Disney and MiceChat related news and discussions as we introduce the MiceTube channel on YouTube. Sarah is your host for the first show and gives you a great idea of what will be coming from this broadcast. You can subscribe at this link.

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Q. Al, Not sure you noticed or not, but on both 5/19 and 5/28 I rode the D'land Mansion and noticed that that the music and voice of were out of sync. She is calling for the ringing of the bell, after it is already occurring, etc.

And over in DCA, Midway Mania is really showing poorly for such a new attraction. Paint is missing from multiple pillars, and peeling or blistering on others. And numerous carriages are partially inoperable with bags over the guns.

I know the management has been spending billions on the new attractions, but they seem to have forgotten that all of the existing infrastructure needs powder and paint too. - Don

A. Don, while I too am dismayed to see anything amiss at the resort (don't get me started on the mess they made at the Alice dark ride), it's important to note there are some key differences in how the park is managed now, as opposed to a decade ago. Unlike the Eisner/Pressler era, when things were purposely run down to jack up profits, the subsequent regimes have been more focused on maintenance, and are better supported on that by Staggs and Iger, as well as Lasseter.

In short, I don't think neglect is a factor here. The rehab walls still go up (Main St has recently been a focus), and even the battling Dinos in the train diorama were curtained off for work.

But if you were to ask "Are they overwhelmed?" my observations indicate that it may be the better question to pose. - Al

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We have grand opening celebrations for Ariel’s new attraction, as well as Star Tours, and even Darth Vader appears to be having some fun! The state of snacking took a downturn this week, with the closure of the Mission Tortilla Factory and a cheese sauce downgrade. Finally, we say a fond farewell to two Disneyland Golden Horseshoe favorites. ~ Aladdin

Frontier Tower Geyser plan - ?? Tomorrowland 1967 asks about the last minute plan for Geysers in front of the Frontier Tower at the Disneyland Hotel. Take a look here to see what replaced the waterfalls.

6/7: Kevin Yee - Nice Kitty
Busch Gardens Tampa is experiencing a renaissance these days. The recent past has included SheiKra, Jungala, and Walkabout Way, and now in 2011 we get Cheetah Run with Cheetah Hunt, an exciting terrain coaster that manages to perfectly balance “family friendly” fun with adrenaline-pumped thrills.

6/6: Al Lutz - The 95 Reunion ShowThe Golden Horseshoe's Betty Taylor & Wally Boag (shown above) both pass away on the same weekend. Al reposts his Usenet write up of their 1995 reunion show at the Autry Museum.

6/3: Disneyland Grand Openings, Disney World News, Australia’s Movie World and MoreIt has been a whirlwind week at the Disneyland Resort as two highly anticipated attractions finally opened. We then head to Walt Disney World for photos and video of Star Wars Weekend plus Phineas and Ferb; and finish off this weekend's fantastic update with Australia's Movie World celebrating their 20th anniversary.

6/3: In The Parks – Disneyland Press Event, Hotel Good/Sad News, Uni New Tram Tour, Magic and MoreIt's a summer of hits (and a few minor misses) at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. We have some exciting (and funny) video from the new Star Tours ride where Disney captures three of MiceChat's finest and declares one of them a spy (sounds about right). Universal also gets into the act this week as a revamped Tram Tour launches. Six Flags is remaking their drab Gotham section into a brightly colored DC Universe. Huge improvement. And Knott's goes sky high. An update you won't want to miss.

6/1: Walt Disney’s Monorail – The Highway In The Sky
Have you ever wondered how the amazing Monorails ended up at Disneyland? We have the fantastic tale of Walt Disney's travels abroad and how they led to one of the most popular attractions of all time. Take a look back in time to a ride system that seems futuristic even by today's standards.

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